Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers. – Isaac Asimov

Writing is Growing

I’ve come to realize that I, like make writers, have the problem of trying to write a book that is probably too big for me. Too hard for me. This lovely thing has required lots of research, color coded outlines to keep everything organized, going back and changing the inconsistencies and I’m just working through the first revision.

This can be a frustrating process. Really frustrating. I hear of people who sit down and knock out a novel in a couple weeks, take a bit longer for revisions and it’s beautiful.

I have dreams of that happening. They usually show up right after my dreams of getting eight hours of sleep (yes, I dream about sleeping – isn’t that normal?).

But then the beloved Shannon Hale posted this a few months ago.

Sometimes I wish writing a book could just be easy for me at last. But when I think about it practically, I am glad it’s a struggle. I am (as usual) attempting to write a book that’s too hard for me. I’m telling a story I’m not smart enough to tell. The risk of failure is huge. But I prefer it this way. I’m forced to learn, forced to smarten myself up, forced to wrestle. And if it works, then I’ll have written something that is better than I am.

“Write what you know” is for sissies.

This is my hope. I really think my WIP has a cool premise, and I think it can be amazing if I can just get myself to the point where I’m good enough to write it. And I’m pretty certain I’m not the only one.

What do you do when your WIP is too hard for you? How have you found your have “smartened up” as a writer?

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6 thoughts on “Writing is Growing”

I keep on pushing through. When I want to do it, I make it happen. I don't know that it's ever been too hard for me, exactly. Overwhelming and scary? Absolutely. I almost sacked my crime novel because it was so far out of my…natural abilities. But I'm so glad I chugged along. So glad.

And I think yes, I've absolutely “smartened up,” though I have a looong way to go!

I take a break and, if that's not enough, I push on through. It's what we have to do. I've definitely seen how I've grown as a writer over the years. It's amazing a story I once thought perfect is one I now gut and revise.

I think all those people who say they created a masterpiece in days as they juggled blazing balls are fibbers. It's work. And so far, nearly every great writer I've ever read a biography on admits it's work.